Breaking Ground
by FairyTaleFancy
Summary: Glynda didn't consider herself greedy, but apparently a quiet evening without teenagers, coworkers, or Evil was too much to ask. (It's all downhill from here.)


RWBY (c) Monty Oum & Rooster Teeth

* * *

Glynda Goodwitch had not taken a day off her entire career.

'It definitely shows,' the nasty whisper in her head slurred in a voice that never failed to piss her off.

Yes, the combat professor of Beacon Academy spent her days, and many of her nights, either curbing her boss, curbing disobedient students, or curbing the inevitable advance of the forces of darkness. Sometimes all three.

Like tonight.

Tonight was a rare evening. Everything for the new school year was stamped, filed, and ready for the next batch of Beacon initiates arriving next week. She had personally inspected each classroom, dorm, and walkway. The school had been scrubbed and shone like freshly-polished dust crystals. There was not a single blade of grass out of place. Everything was perfect. She deserved an hour's respite.

Her favorite tea shop was tucked away on a small side street in downtown Vale. The atmosphere was quaint but sophisticated, cozy but clean. It was the only shop on the west coast that brewed black raspberry tea with white honey to her liking. (Barty had once commented that it didn't taste extraordinary to him, but Glynda knew the doctor had deadened his taste buds years ago with that makeshift gasoline that kept his brain running _just_ ahead of his mouth. His opinion was void.)

So she settled in for a stress-free hour at The Seeping Beauty with a hot cup and Titiana Fairchild's latest article in COMBATANT LIFESTYLE called up on her scroll.

She was three pages in and half a cup down when the sound of gunfire and exploding asphalt trickled into the shop. She briefly, _very_ briefly, considered ignoring it, as well as the nervous looks the brewer behind the counter kept shooting her.

'Just an hour. Please.'

A young woman with violet hair burst into the shop, sirens now faintly audible outside.

"Chester, some crazy person with a scythe is whipping some major ass outside of From Dust!"

Crazy person with a scythe.

Eyes narrowing, Glynda tuned out the excited and slightly panicked exchange of the woman and the brewer.

Crazy person _with a scythe_.

True, she'd known a handful of scythe-wielders in her day. And "crazy" was practically a given to even consider choosing it as a primary weapon.

But the odds she knew this person, _personally_ knew this person, personally enough to warrant chewing them out and cleaning up after them… (He should be in Vacuo on a mission for another month but when had that ever stopped him from being exactly where he shouldn't be?)

The _odds_.

She ground her teeth and slammed her scroll shut.

'He's paying for this cup of tea.'

She didn't look at the startled pair at the counter when she stood and marched towards the door.

"Chester, and young lady, please stay inside until I assess the situation."

The young man nervously flicked a long ear in her direction.

"S-sure thing, professor."

Glynda stepped outside in time to see a bullhead (Illegal, and in direct violation of three different laws) pass overhead. In no time, she was halfway up the building, her sigils casting violet light on the brickwork.

Clearing the top, she watched a figure in white clamber into the hovercraft and shout down to someone in a red cape.

'Hmm.'

She expected a cape, but it was too long and the wrong shade of red to be the person she'd assumed would unabashedly be tearing up a busy street. A short stature and a combat skirt said "mostly likely girl" and the massive unfolded weapon said "most likely huntress-in-training." Unfortunately, the glinting crystal that landed at her feet combined with the raised cane of the fleeing man said "most likely about to be blown up."

'Not on my underpaid watch,' she thought as she leapt to land in front of the girl, sigil spiraling to life and absorbing the explosion.

Glynda adjusted her glasses and assessed the situation. The man in white looked shocked at her arrival and she used the advantage to attack the craft.

The fight didn't last long. Glynda moved primarily on automatic, absorbing every detail she could about the ruffians content to cause lasting harm to her and the red-caped girl.

The man was most likely Roman Torchwick, wanted for various robberies, black market dealings, and a few unexplained explosions around the city. This marked her first encounter with the redhead, but his 'Wanted' poster had been a staple wallpaper at the police station for a few years now.

The woman, however, was new. Glynda's eyes narrowed when the shadowed figure stepped onto the belly of the bullhead. This was not a petty criminal. Her stance, her attire, the almost casual way she repelled Glynda's attacks told the huntress that this woman was very dangerous indeed. She almost stopped the caped girl from firing off a few rounds into the open hatch but watched with morbid fascination as the woman repelled the shots with little more than her bare hands before attacking the rooftop pair. Almost like magic.

'Could it be…?'

Glynda barely managed to throw the girl and herself out of a sinkhole explosion, distracted long enough to let the bullhead fly off.

'Damn.'

She watched it disappear into the night while internally cataloging the events of this unusual encounter: Roman Torchwick, illegal activities, a mysterious and powerful woman, and…

"Can I have your autograph?!"

The girl looked at her with a mixture of awe, adoration, and Summer Rose's eyes.

Glynda froze.

'Oh god.'

It was _her_.

Qrow never hesitated to show off pictures of his nieces, but photographs didn't often do real life justice. Several decades suddenly vanished:

There was _Summer_ , bright eyes, dark hair, hooded cape, no hesitation to jump into the line of fire if she thought she could help someone. A hero to the end.

A kick in the teeth would have been more gentle than a grinning reminder of one of their greatest losses. This meeting was inevitable but it still hurt.

"No," she calmly answered the girl's question ( _Calmly._ She was proud of herself for that one, as her mind had pushed every single panic button available and fled far away from the caterwauling), "and you'll be coming with me, young lady."

The look shifted to disbelief and confusion.

"Wait, to where?"

Glynda ignored the question and pulled out her scroll to _calmly_ send a message to Ozpin.

 _ **-**_ **Found Summer Rose's daughter engaged in a literal firefight with a high-impact sniper rifle scythe.-**

His reply was immediate.

 _ **-I'll be at the station in 5 minutes-**_

She glanced at a fidgeting Ruby before typing again.

 **-She's the spitting image of her mother.-**

 _ **-I'll bring cookies-**_

She paused a moment.

 **-She does have her mother's eyes.-**

There was no response and she didn't expect one. Some things are better experienced in person.

"Your name, please."

She was certain of the answer, but knew she had to ask as she repaired the roof with a flick of her wrist.

"R-Ruby Rose," the girl replied, hopping out of the way of flying concrete.

Finished, Glynda gave a noncommittal hum and began to walk towards the fire escape.

"Then come along, Miss Rose. We need to report this incident to the police."

The girl yelped and hurried to her side in a flurry of petals.

"What, I can't go to the police! My dad'll kill me!"

Glynda almost snorted. Like Taiyang Xiao Long had _any_ moral superiority to hold over _anyone's_ head after _his_ youth.

"Where is your father?"

"Ummm, somewhere around Vale, I think…"

"Call him, do you have your scroll?"

Ruby nodded and fumbled with the device before nervously dialing her father. Glynda vaguely heard the muffled greeting and watched Ruby take a breath to answer.

"Hi Dad. Err, don't freak out but I need you to meet me at the police station."

" _WHAT?!"_

Glynda nearly rolled her eyes at the outburst.

"It's fine!" Ruby squeaked, "I'm fine, everything's fine! Umm, how are you?"

" _Ruby, what happened? Where are you? I'm coming to get you!"_

"Dad, it's okay, I was in From Dust and there was a robbery and a teeny _tiny_ fight but it's okay because this awesome Huntress showed up and kicked their butts but she says we have to go report it 'cause the bad guys got away and umm, what's your name?" Ruby peered sheepishly at Glynda.

Oh, this was going to be _good_.

The woman simply held out her hand and after a moment's hesitation, Ruby placed the scroll there.

"Good evening, this is Glynda Goodwitch."

She was a powerful warrior and learned teacher, but she was not above the substantial amount of pleasure she took from Xiao Long's sputtering reaction.

" _G-G-Glynda?! Wha- how- ah shit."_

She was still above cackling out loud, however. She had to draw the line somewhere.

"Your daughter attempted to fight one of Vale's most notorious criminals. Alone," she explained coolly, "Please meet us at the police station on Main Street to collect her after we have given our report."

" _Goodwitch, is she alright? What happened?"_

"Your daughter is fine. We will be at the station in 10 minutes."

She knew Ruby watched her face curiously, so she was careful to not give any information that would tie her with Xiao Long. The less Ruby knew that this junction, the better.

" _Fine, I'll be there. And I expect Ozpin will be there too."_

The call ended and Glynda handed the scroll back to Ruby without a glance.

"Your father will meet us there, Miss Rose. Come along."

* * *

Glynda rewound the footage from the shop's security cameras to watch Ruby use her rifle's recoil to propel herself into a henchman's space.

The girl couldn't be any older than fifteen and it was clear she'd been training with her scythe for some time. She was good, and had Qrow's signature reckless finesse all over her fighting style. There was a calculated chaos when her colleague fought and she was torn between complementing Qrow on his niece's prowess, and berating him for encouraging her with one of the most dangerous weapons ever designed.

Glynda watched the girl fidget through the two-way mirror. They'd already given their statements to the police and Ruby was most likely wondering why she was still sitting in a dark interrogation room.

She could hear Xiao Long and Ozpin behind the door on the opposite side of the hallway. Their discussion hadn't quite evolved into a shouting match, but it was getting close.

"...not ready…"

"...-mmer… repeating it!..."

"...don't give… Qrow…"

"...up to… ask…"

She knew Ozpin would somehow convince the blond to let Ruby enroll at Beacon early. Though with the training she'd already received from her uncle, Glynda didn't doubt the girl was counting down the days until she could apply anyway.

The door behind her opened forcefully (though not as forcefully as she'd imagined) and the two men emerged. Xiao Long rubbed a hand down his face.

"Goodwitch, I don't know how you put up with this guy," he sighed, "he'll have you signing away your life before you even realized you picked up the pen."

The corner of Glynda's mouth turned up as he continued.

"Heck, he managed to subdue Qrow and we both know how hard it is to keep a Branwen grounded."

Her smile disappeared and she glanced at Ozpin. The headmaster looked solemn as he spoke.

"Taiyang, while taking into account that Ruby aspires to enter this dangerous line of work of her own free will, I promise I do everything in my power to keep her safe."

Xiao Long blew a noisy breath out his nose and Glynda swore she saw a haze of steam.

"I feel like I've heard those words before, Oz. Must be getting old." His blue eyes were fierce when he glanced at the headmaster. "Try not to make promises you can't keep."

Xiao Long sank into the hallway chair and waved at the two professors.

"Go on, recruit my little girl."

 _Recruit._

Like they were gathering soldiers.

But...

...were they _not_?

His posture and tired words twinged at Glynda's conscience. His elder daughter was on the enrollment list for the new year, and now his youngest was leaving as well. The man already had had much taken from him in the name of winning this long war; did they dare ask for more?

Ozpin's words pulled her out of her thoughts.

"Glynda, would you mind going into speak to Ruby first?"

Her eyeroll would have made lesser men squirm but Ozpin merely smiled. She picked up her crop and marched towards the door, glancing at the plate of baked goods Ozpin brought with him.

If the girl was anything like her mother, the upcoming school year was bound to be interesting.

* * *

 _This was part of something bigger that might grow again one day… we'll see._

 _Headcanon that Glynda hasn't finished a cup of tea in 20 years because Things keep interrupting._


End file.
